KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. and Matt Chapman hit two home runs each, Landen Roupp pitched five scoreless innings for his first major league win, and the San Francisco Giants handed the Kansas City Royals their sixth straight loss, 9-0 on Saturday.

The Royals are clinging to the AL’s second wild-card berth. Kansas City’s lead over the Minnesota Twins — who were rained out Saturday — was reduced to a half game. The Tigers are another one half game behind the Twins. The Royals' loss also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-guardians-clinch-al-central-903f008e3e3bcf8337c4aa84dd34ab1d">allowed the Cleveland Guardians to clinch the AL Central</a>.

“With a week to go we’ve got to figure out how to get out of this rut,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We need to start that tomorrow.”

Wade put the Giants ahead with two out in the first inning, lining the first pitch above the right field bullpen.

“It always sets the tone for the game when you score in the first inning,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Next thing you know we have two, then put together a crooked number.”

Wade led off the fourth with a drive down the right field line and Chapman followed with a blast to straightaway center, marking the seventh time the Giants have had back-to-back homers this season. It was the second multi-homer game of Wade’s career.

“When he’s pulling the ball with authority, that means he’s seeing it pretty good,” Melvin said.

Chapman returned to the lineup after missing four games while on the paternity list.

“I’ve seen guys hit a lot of homers on their first day back after having a baby,” he said. “I’m glad I got to join that club.”

“First at-bat didn’t look great, next thing you know he’s hit the homer to center, then another,” Melvin said. “It’s good to have him back and certainly good that he got off a good game today.”

The Giants batted around and scored six runs in the sixth for a 9-0 lead. Chapman hit his 26th of the season with one out for his 12th career multi-homer game.

After Curt Casali’s two-run single, Mike Yastrzemski capped the frame with a three-run homer. Yastrzemski has five home runs in his last 10 games and 18 homers this season.

Roupp (1-1), making his third career start, shut out the Royals on three hits, walking three and striking out three. He held Kansas City hitters to 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

“They put pressure on us early and he was able to escape it,” catcher Casali said. “He’s got a good attitude. It never seems like the moment is too big for him.”

Brady Singer (9-12) allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts and a season-high four home runs over 5 1/3 innings.

“You know the old adage that you don’t get beat by solo homers … today he did,” Quatraro said. “Four solo homers is very unique, but two very good hitters who did that. Both sides of the ball we got our butts beat.”

The Giants have won four of five games, hitting nine home runs and outscoring opponents 29-9.

The Royals have lost six straight while hitting 8 for 52 with runners in scoring position in that stretch.

“These guys feel it,” Quatraro said. “They don’t want to play baseball like that. We expect more of ourselves.”

Giants: IF Marco Luciano was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.

Giants LHP Blake Snell (4-3, 3.31 ERA) opposes RHP Seth Lugo (16-8, 3.05) in the Royals final regular-season home game on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239521858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MARC BOWMAN Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. and Matt Chapman hit two home runs each, Landen Roupp pitched five scoreless innings for his first major league win, and the San Francisco Giants handed the Kansas City Royals their sixth straight loss, 9-0 on Saturday.The Royals are clinging to the AL’s second wild-card berth. Kansas City’s lead over the Minnesota Twins — who were rained out Saturday — was reduced to a half game. The Tigers are another one half game behind the Twins. The Royals' loss also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-guardians-clinch-al-central-903f008e3e3bcf8337c4aa84dd34ab1d">allowed the Cleveland Guardians to clinch the AL Central</a>.“With a week to go we’ve got to figure out how to get out of this rut,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We need to start that tomorrow.”Wade put the Giants ahead with two out in the first inning, lining the first pitch above the right field bullpen.“It always sets the tone for the game when you score in the first inning,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Next thing you know we have two, then put together a crooked number.”Wade led off the fourth with a drive down the right field line and Chapman followed with a blast to straightaway center, marking the seventh time the Giants have had back-to-back homers this season. It was the second multi-homer game of Wade’s career.“When he’s pulling the ball with authority, that means he’s seeing it pretty good,” Melvin said.Chapman returned to the lineup after missing four games while on the paternity list.“I’ve seen guys hit a lot of homers on their first day back after having a baby,” he said. “I’m glad I got to join that club.”Melvin was glad to have him back.“First at-bat didn’t look great, next thing you know he’s hit the homer to center, then another,” Melvin said. “It’s good to have him back and certainly good that he got off a good game today.”The Giants batted around and scored six runs in the sixth for a 9-0 lead. Chapman hit his 26th of the season with one out for his 12th career multi-homer game.After Curt Casali’s two-run single, Mike Yastrzemski capped the frame with a three-run homer. Yastrzemski has five home runs in his last 10 games and 18 homers this season.Roupp (1-1), making his third career start, shut out the Royals on three hits, walking three and striking out three. He held Kansas City hitters to 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.“They put pressure on us early and he was able to escape it,” catcher Casali said. “He’s got a good attitude. It never seems like the moment is too big for him.”Brady Singer (9-12) allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts and a season-high four home runs over 5 1/3 innings.“You know the old adage that you don’t get beat by solo homers … today he did,” Quatraro said. “Four solo homers is very unique, but two very good hitters who did that. Both sides of the ball we got our butts beat.”The Giants have won four of five games, hitting nine home runs and outscoring opponents 29-9.The Royals have lost six straight while hitting 8 for 52 with runners in scoring position in that stretch.“These guys feel it,” Quatraro said. “They don’t want to play baseball like that. We expect more of ourselves.”TRANSACTIONS:Giants: IF Marco Luciano was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.UP NEXTGiants LHP Blake Snell (4-3, 3.31 ERA) opposes RHP Seth Lugo (16-8, 3.05) in the Royals final regular-season home game on Sunday.

⚾ Royals lose sixth straight

AP Sports Summary for September 22nd, 2024:

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Who is better off? Lincoln Riley's new (USC) and old (OU) teams hoping for more

Lincoln Riley has yet to deliver the level of success Southern California fans hoped for when he made a shocking move west from Oklahoma after the 2021 regular season. USC is better than it was when Riley arrived but as the Trojans' loss at No. 18 Michigan suggests, they are not entering the Big Ten as serious contenders. The school Riley left behind also played its first game in a new league, and No. 15 Oklahoma made it clear it will not be challenging for a Southeastern Conference championship. So who's better off, Riley's new team or his old?

North Carolina coach Mack Brown says 'embarrasing' 70-50 loss to James Madison is his fault

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Alonza Barnett III's five touchdown passes led a quick-strike offense that helped James Madison beat North Carolina 70-50 on Saturday for a signature road win under first-year coach Bob Chesney. Barnett threw for 388 yards with no interceptions while also running for 99 yards and two scores for the Dukes. James Madison had TDs on offense, defense and special teams in its first victory over North Carolina in four meetings. Jacolby Criswell threw for 475 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start for UNC, while running back Omarion Hampton ran for three scores.

Mullings' 2nd TD with 37 seconds left lifts No. 18 Michigan to 27-24 win over No. 11 USC

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Kalel Mullings had a 2-yard, go-ahead touchdown run on fourth down with 37 seconds left, lifting No. 18 Michigan to a 27-24 win over No. 11 USC. The Wolverines overcame losing a 14-0 lead in the first half and coughing up two fumbles in the second half. They won with a 10-play, 89-yard possession that was capped by Mullings' second touchdown run in a jumbo package that left no doubt they were going to run. USC turned it over on downs near midfield in the final seconds to end its comeback hopes in the program's Big Ten debut.

No. 1 Texas keeps rolling behind Manning and Blue and routs ULM 51-3 in last game before SEC play

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning earned his first career win as a starter and Jaydon Blue scored four touchdowns as No. 1 Texas ran over Louisiana-Monroe 51-3 Saturday night. The Longhorns took over the No. 1 ranking last week for the first time since 2008 and made quick work of the Warhawks. Blue scored three times and Manning threw a touchdown as Texas raced to a 28-0 halftime lead. Manning started in place of injured regular starter Quinn Ewers. Texas played its final nonconference game before starting its first SEC schedule.

All-Star CJ Abrams is demoted to the minors by the Nationals for nonperformance reasons

CHICAGO (AP) — All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has been demoted to the minor leagues by the Washington Nationals for a reason not related to his on-field performance and is not expected to play for them the rest of the season. Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced the unusual decision before the team's 5-1 win at the Chicago Cubs. Abrams has 20 homers, 65 RBIs and 31 stolen bases but is hitting .193 since July 3. Triple-A Rochester didn't qualify for the International League postseason and plays its final game on Sunday. Martinez said Abrams won't play for the Red Wings. He will fly to Washington and then travel to the team's training complex at West Palm Beach, Florida.

White Sox lose 119th game to tie the AL record as the Padres win 6-2 behind 3 home runs

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox tied the American League record with their 119th loss when Xander Bogaerts and Elias Díaz each hit a two-run homer to help the San Diego Padres win 6-2 and move closer to a playoff spot. With a record of 36-119, the White Sox matched the AL mark for losses set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers, who finished 43-119. One more defeat for Chicago over its final seven games would equal the post-1900 record of 120 losses by the 1962 expansion New York Mets. Chicago is 9-48 since the All-Star break. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders hold the major league record for losses at 20-134.

Kyle Larson wins at Bristol as 2 former NASCAR champions eliminated from playoffs

NASCAR champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. were among the first four drivers knocked out of the playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Kyle Larson cruised to an easy victory. Keselowski, Truex, Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton were all eliminated Saturday night. Larson, meanwhile, led 462 of 500 laps. That's the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. Larson's laps led is the most ever by a Hendrick Motorsports driver and marked the fifth win of the season for the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.

Lindor's earliest return to New York Mets lineup from back injury likely Tuesday at Atlanta

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor's earliest return to New York's lineup from a back injury likely is Tuesday night's series opener at the Atlanta Braves. Lindor missed five straight games entering Saturday and had played only one inning in the past seven games. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Lindor felt better Saturday and hoped to run sprints, hit and take ground balls. Lindor received a numbing injection on Thursday. Mendoza said he envisioned Lindor will return at shortstop and not designated hitter.

Cleveland Guardians clinch AL Central title when Royals lose to Giants

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians have clinched their second AL Central championship in three years. They wrapped it up when the second-place Kansas City Royals lost 9-0 to the San Francisco Giants. José Ramírez and the Guardians had already secured a postseason berth, locking up at least an American League wild card Thursday with a 3-2 win over Minnesota at home. Cleveland entered Saturday needing a win at St. Louis or a Kansas City defeat to wrap up the division title. Even before the Guardians got deep into their night game against the Cardinals, the Royals lost at home in a late-afternoon start. It is Cleveland's 12th division crown, all coming in the AL Central since 1995.

Dubois beats up Joshua to retain IBF heavyweight title with brutal 5th-round knockout

LONDON (AP) — Daniel Dubois has retained the IBF heavyweight title by knocking out former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in the fifth round in a dominant first defense of his belt. Joshua had already been floored in the first and third rounds before he fell face first after a straight right hand by Dubois on Saturday. The fight took place in front of a record post-war boxing crowd in Britain of 96,000 fans. Dubois became IBF champion after the belt was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June, and this was his first title defense.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

		Minnesota	at	Boston	5:35 p.m.	(Postponed)

Final	(18)Michigan	27	(11)Southern Cal	24	

Final	(25)Texas A&amp;M	26	Bowling Green	20	

Final	(5)Mississippi	52	Georgia Southern	13	

Final	Minnesota	2	Sporting Kansas City	0	

		San Francisco	at	Kansas City	2:10 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, September 22nd, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, September 22nd, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for September 22nd, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8575196/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>AP Top 25 Takeaways: Who is better off? Lincoln Riley's new (USC) and old (OU) teams hoping for moreLincoln Riley has yet to deliver the level of success Southern California fans hoped for when he made a shocking move west from Oklahoma after the 2021 regular season. USC is better than it was when Riley arrived but as the Trojans' loss at No. 18 Michigan suggests, they are not entering the Big Ten as serious contenders. The school Riley left behind also played its first game in a new league, and No. 15 Oklahoma made it clear it will not be challenging for a Southeastern Conference championship. So who's better off, Riley's new team or his old?North Carolina coach Mack Brown says 'embarrasing' 70-50 loss to James Madison is his faultCHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Alonza Barnett III's five touchdown passes led a quick-strike offense that helped James Madison beat North Carolina 70-50 on Saturday for a signature road win under first-year coach Bob Chesney. Barnett threw for 388 yards with no interceptions while also running for 99 yards and two scores for the Dukes. James Madison had TDs on offense, defense and special teams in its first victory over North Carolina in four meetings. Jacolby Criswell threw for 475 yards and three touchdowns in his second career start for UNC, while running back Omarion Hampton ran for three scores.Mullings' 2nd TD with 37 seconds left lifts No. 18 Michigan to 27-24 win over No. 11 USCANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Kalel Mullings had a 2-yard, go-ahead touchdown run on fourth down with 37 seconds left, lifting No. 18 Michigan to a 27-24 win over No. 11 USC. The Wolverines overcame losing a 14-0 lead in the first half and coughing up two fumbles in the second half. They won with a 10-play, 89-yard possession that was capped by Mullings' second touchdown run in a jumbo package that left no doubt they were going to run. USC turned it over on downs near midfield in the final seconds to end its comeback hopes in the program's Big Ten debut.No. 1 Texas keeps rolling behind Manning and Blue and routs ULM 51-3 in last game before SEC playAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning earned his first career win as a starter and Jaydon Blue scored four touchdowns as No. 1 Texas ran over Louisiana-Monroe 51-3 Saturday night. The Longhorns took over the No. 1 ranking last week for the first time since 2008 and made quick work of the Warhawks. Blue scored three times and Manning threw a touchdown as Texas raced to a 28-0 halftime lead. Manning started in place of injured regular starter Quinn Ewers. Texas played its final nonconference game before starting its first SEC schedule.All-Star CJ Abrams is demoted to the minors by the Nationals for nonperformance reasonsCHICAGO (AP) — All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams has been demoted to the minor leagues by the Washington Nationals for a reason not related to his on-field performance and is not expected to play for them the rest of the season. Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced the unusual decision before the team's 5-1 win at the Chicago Cubs. Abrams has 20 homers, 65 RBIs and 31 stolen bases but is hitting .193 since July 3. Triple-A Rochester didn't qualify for the International League postseason and plays its final game on Sunday. Martinez said Abrams won't play for the Red Wings. He will fly to Washington and then travel to the team's training complex at West Palm Beach, Florida.White Sox lose 119th game to tie the AL record as the Padres win 6-2 behind 3 home runsSAN DIEGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox tied the American League record with their 119th loss when Xander Bogaerts and Elias Díaz each hit a two-run homer to help the San Diego Padres win 6-2 and move closer to a playoff spot. With a record of 36-119, the White Sox matched the AL mark for losses set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers, who finished 43-119. One more defeat for Chicago over its final seven games would equal the post-1900 record of 120 losses by the 1962 expansion New York Mets. Chicago is 9-48 since the All-Star break. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders hold the major league record for losses at 20-134.Kyle Larson wins at Bristol as 2 former NASCAR champions eliminated from playoffsNASCAR champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. were among the first four drivers knocked out of the playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Kyle Larson cruised to an easy victory. Keselowski, Truex, Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton were all eliminated Saturday night. Larson, meanwhile, led 462 of 500 laps. That's the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. Larson's laps led is the most ever by a Hendrick Motorsports driver and marked the fifth win of the season for the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.Lindor's earliest return to New York Mets lineup from back injury likely Tuesday at AtlantaNEW YORK (AP) — Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor's earliest return to New York's lineup from a back injury likely is Tuesday night's series opener at the Atlanta Braves. Lindor missed five straight games entering Saturday and had played only one inning in the past seven games. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Lindor felt better Saturday and hoped to run sprints, hit and take ground balls. Lindor received a numbing injection on Thursday. Mendoza said he envisioned Lindor will return at shortstop and not designated hitter.Cleveland Guardians clinch AL Central title when Royals lose to GiantsST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians have clinched their second AL Central championship in three years. They wrapped it up when the second-place Kansas City Royals lost 9-0 to the San Francisco Giants. José Ramírez and the Guardians had already secured a postseason berth, locking up at least an American League wild card Thursday with a 3-2 win over Minnesota at home. Cleveland entered Saturday needing a win at St. Louis or a Kansas City defeat to wrap up the division title. Even before the Guardians got deep into their night game against the Cardinals, the Royals lost at home in a late-afternoon start. It is Cleveland's 12th division crown, all coming in the AL Central since 1995.Dubois beats up Joshua to retain IBF heavyweight title with brutal 5th-round knockoutLONDON (AP) — Daniel Dubois has retained the IBF heavyweight title by knocking out former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in the fifth round in a dominant first defense of his belt. Joshua had already been floored in the first and third rounds before he fell face first after a straight right hand by Dubois on Saturday. The fight took place in front of a record post-war boxing crowd in Britain of 96,000 fans. Dubois became IBF champion after the belt was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June, and this was his first title defense.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	San Francisco	9	Kansas City	0	Final	St. Louis	6	Cleveland	5	Final	San Diego	6	Chicago White Sox	2	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Minnesota	at	Boston	5:35 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	Tampa Bay	3	Toronto	2	Final	Detroit	6	Baltimore	4	Final	Houston	10	L.A. Angels	4	Final	Seattle	8	Texas	4	Final	N.Y. Yankees	10	Oakland	0	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Cincinnati	7	Pittsburgh	1	Final	Washington	5	Chicago Cubs	1	Final	N.Y. Mets	6	Philadelphia	3	Final	Atlanta	6	Miami	2	Final	Arizona	5	Milwaukee	0	Final	Colorado	6	L.A. Dodgers	3	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Buffalo	7	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Dallas	2	St. Louis	1	Final	Minnesota	5	Winnipeg	2	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(12)Utah	22	(14)Oklahoma St.	19	Final	(6)Tennessee	25	(15)Oklahoma	15	Final	(18)Michigan	27	(11)Southern Cal	24	Final	(21)Clemson	59	NC State	35	Final	(3)Ohio St.	49	Marshall	14	Final	(20)Iowa St.	52	Arkansas St.	7	Final	(10)Penn St.	56	Kent St.	0	Final	(16)LSU	34	UCLA	17	Final	(19)Louisville	31	Georgia Tech	19	Final	Buffalo	23	(23)N. Illinois	20	Final	(17)Notre Dame	28	Miami (Ohio)	3	Final	(7)Missouri	30	Vanderbilt	27	Final	(8)Miami	50	South Florida	15	Final	(25)Texas A&amp;M	26	Bowling Green	20	Final	(5)Mississippi	52	Georgia Southern	13	Final	(1)Texas	51	Louisiana-Monroe	3	Final	BYU	38	(13)Kansas St.	9	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal tie	Miami	1	New York City FC	1	Final	Charlotte FC	4	New England	0	Final	Columbus	4	Orlando City	3	Final	CF Montréal	2	Chicago	0	Final tie	Atlanta	2	New York	2	Final	Houston	1	Austin FC	0	Final	FC Dallas	3	Los Angeles FC	1	Final	Minnesota	2	Sporting Kansas City	0	Final tie	Cincinnati	2	Nashville	2	Final	Colorado	2	Toronto FC	0	Final tie	Portland	3	Real Salt Lake	3	Final	LA Galaxy	4	Vancouver	2	Final	St Louis City	2	San Jose	1	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		San Francisco	at	Kansas City	2:10 p.m.			Cleveland	at	St. Louis	2:15 p.m.			Chi White Sox	at	San Diego	4:10 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Minnesota	at	Boston	12:35 p.m.			Detroit	at	Baltimore	1:35 p.m.			Toronto	at	Tampa Bay	1:40 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	Houston	2:10 p.m.			Seattle	at	Texas	2:35 p.m.			N-Y Yankees	at	Oakland	4:07 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Boston	5:35 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Pittsburgh	at	Cincinnati	1:10 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Miami	1:40 p.m.			Arizona	at	Milwaukee	2:10 p.m.			Washington	at	Chi Cubs	2:20 p.m.			Colorado	at	L-A Dodgers	4:10 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	N-Y Mets	7:15 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON		Nashville	at	Florida	2 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	Washington	3 p.m.			N-Y Rangers	at	Boston	5 p.m.			Nashville	at	Florida	6 p.m.			Winnipeg	at	Edmonton	6 p.m.			N-Y Islanders	at	New Jersey	7 p.m.			Ottawa	at	Toronto	7 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Utah	7 p.m.			Vegas	at	San Jose	8 p.m.			Calgary	at	Seattle	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Chicago	at	Indianapolis	1 p.m.			Denver	at	Tampa Bay	1 p.m.			Green Bay	at	Tennessee	1 p.m.			Houston	at	Minnesota	1 p.m.			L.A. Chargers	at	Pittsburgh	1 p.m.			N-Y Giants	at	Cleveland	1 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	New Orleans	1 p.m.			Carolina	at	Las Vegas	4:05 p.m.			Miami	at	Seattle	4:05 p.m.			Baltimore	at	Dallas	4:25 p.m.			Detroit	at	Arizona	4:25 p.m.			San Francisco	at	L.A. Rams	4:25 p.m.			Kansas City	at	Atlanta	8:20 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS		Atlanta	at	New York	1 p.m.			Indiana	at	Connecticut	3 p.m.			Phoenix	at	Minnesota	5 p.m.			Seattle	at	Las Vegas	10 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		D.C. United	at	Philadelphia	6:15 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Sunday

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Garrett Greene threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Gallagher with 26 seconds left to lift West Virginia to a 32-28 victory over Kansas in their Big 12 opener Saturday.

The Mountaineers (2-2) overcame an 11-point deficit and withstood a lightning delay of about two hours with two touchdown passes by Greene in the final 3:27. It came a week after the Mountaineers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-pitt-score-74df4aa149c7fb92e25ef8a0f77b0f8e">squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes</a>&nbsp;of a heartbreaking loss at Pittsburgh.

“Offensively, we just found a way,” coach Neal Brown said. “It wasn't our best day. We didn't have our ‘A’ game, but we finished well.”

Saturday's outcome wasn't decided until West Virginia's Tyrin Bradley stripped the ball from Jalon Daniels on a pass attempt and Bradley recovered it with 8 seconds left. Bradley also had the team's first interception of the season in the first quarter.

Kansas appeared to be in control when wide receiver Luke Grimm went 32 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with 5:39 left for a 28-17 lead.

“Sometimes it doesn't roll your way," Grimm said. “We just didn't execute in the final stretch. They executed and we didn't.”

Greene, who had been shaky up until that point, then took over. He hit Kole Taylor with an 8-yard TD toss, and Taylor caught the two-point conversion pass from Traylon Ray.

After Kansas was forced to punt, Greene ran for 25 yards on the winning drive. A pass interference call in the end zone on Mello Dotson of Kansas gave the Mountaineers first-and-goal at the 10. A false start pushed the ball back to the 15 before Greene hit Gallagher in the end zone for the final margin.

“I always want the ball in my hands at the end of the game,” Greene said.

West Virginia's Hudson Clement caught seven passes for 150 yards.

Greene, who also had a 5-yard scoring run, completed 15 of 30 passes for 295 yards. He also led the Mountaineers with 87 rushing yards on on 17 carries.

“I may coach for a long time and may never have another guy that’s as competitive as he is,” Brown said.

Devin Neal rushed for 110 yards for Kansas (1-3). It was his fourth straight 100-yard game this season.

Brown said defensive back Aubrey Burks was walking around and “in good spirits” and that medical tests on him were “clear” after Burks was removed from the sideline on a cart in the second quarter with what the coach described as an upper body injury. Burks initially was tended to while the West Virginia offense was on the field.

"It must have happened during a play but he didn't have symptoms until he came out," Brown said.

Last year Burks was injured making a tackle on a punt at TCU and had to have his neck immobilized. He missed one game with a concussion.

Kansas: KU has lost three straight. The Jayhawks are in a free fall after starting the season ranked.

“We’ve been in situations worse than this,” Grimm said. "We sucked when I was first here. We came from way worse than what we are right now. So we’re not worried at all.”

West Virginia: The Mountaineers showed some mettle in the comeback win, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the next three games against ranked opponents and three of the next five games on the road.

West Virginia: Has a week off before playing at No. 14 Oklahoma State on Oct. 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726956688394.jpeg" alt="A lightning strike is shown in the distance above Mountaineer Field during a game between Kansas and West Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo)" />
 <figcaption>A lightning strike is shown in the distance above Mountaineer Field during a game between Kansas and West Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Garrett Greene threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Gallagher with 26 seconds left to lift West Virginia to a 32-28 victory over Kansas in their Big 12 opener Saturday.The Mountaineers (2-2) overcame an 11-point deficit and withstood a lightning delay of about two hours with two touchdown passes by Greene in the final 3:27. It came a week after the Mountaineers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-pitt-score-74df4aa149c7fb92e25ef8a0f77b0f8e">squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes</a>&nbsp;of a heartbreaking loss at Pittsburgh.“Offensively, we just found a way,” coach Neal Brown said. “It wasn't our best day. We didn't have our ‘A’ game, but we finished well.”Saturday's outcome wasn't decided until West Virginia's Tyrin Bradley stripped the ball from Jalon Daniels on a pass attempt and Bradley recovered it with 8 seconds left. Bradley also had the team's first interception of the season in the first quarter.Kansas appeared to be in control when wide receiver Luke Grimm went 32 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with 5:39 left for a 28-17 lead.“Sometimes it doesn't roll your way," Grimm said. “We just didn't execute in the final stretch. They executed and we didn't.”Greene, who had been shaky up until that point, then took over. He hit Kole Taylor with an 8-yard TD toss, and Taylor caught the two-point conversion pass from Traylon Ray.After Kansas was forced to punt, Greene ran for 25 yards on the winning drive. A pass interference call in the end zone on Mello Dotson of Kansas gave the Mountaineers first-and-goal at the 10. A false start pushed the ball back to the 15 before Greene hit Gallagher in the end zone for the final margin.“I always want the ball in my hands at the end of the game,” Greene said.West Virginia's Hudson Clement caught seven passes for 150 yards.Greene, who also had a 5-yard scoring run, completed 15 of 30 passes for 295 yards. He also led the Mountaineers with 87 rushing yards on on 17 carries.“I may coach for a long time and may never have another guy that’s as competitive as he is,” Brown said.Devin Neal rushed for 110 yards for Kansas (1-3). It was his fourth straight 100-yard game this season.<h2>Burks hurt</h2>Brown said defensive back Aubrey Burks was walking around and “in good spirits” and that medical tests on him were “clear” after Burks was removed from the sideline on a cart in the second quarter with what the coach described as an upper body injury. Burks initially was tended to while the West Virginia offense was on the field."It must have happened during a play but he didn't have symptoms until he came out," Brown said.Last year Burks was injured making a tackle on a punt at TCU and had to have his neck immobilized. He missed one game with a concussion.<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas: KU has lost three straight. The Jayhawks are in a free fall after starting the season ranked.“We’ve been in situations worse than this,” Grimm said. "We sucked when I was first here. We came from way worse than what we are right now. So we’re not worried at all.”West Virginia: The Mountaineers showed some mettle in the comeback win, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the next three games against ranked opponents and three of the next five games on the road.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Hosts TCU next Saturday.West Virginia: Has a week off before playing at No. 14 Oklahoma State on Oct. 5.

🏈 KU surrenders late lead, falls at West Virginia

MAIZE, Kan. - Mother nature was able to slow down the Hutchinson Salthawks on Friday versus Maize, but just a little, as the Salthawks earned back-to-back shutout victories for the first time in 40 years with a 21-0 win over the Eagles.

The stingy Hutchinson defense started the domination with the first of two consecutive three and outs in the first quarter allowing the Salthawks' Kade Smith to score on a one yard plunge into the Eagle's end zone after a nine play, 48 yard drive with 5:59 remaining to give Hutch a 7-0 lead.

Then it was mother nature's turn to put on a show. The Salthawks had just forced another Eagle punt and had the ball on the Hutchinson 40 yard line when are lightning forced a one hour and 40 minute lightning and rain delay.&nbsp;

When play resumed, momentum had swung to the Maize sideline as several Hutchinson drives stalled and the halftime score was 7-0.

At the start of the second half, Hutchinson took the kickoff from to their own 42 yard line when Smith bolted up the middle for his longest run of the season to put the Salthawks on top 14-0. 

That 58 yard yard run capped off at 6 play, 80 yard drive just 2 minutes and 11 seconds into the third quarter.

After that, the Salthawk defense took over only allowing Maize 91 yards on 39 offensive plays, of which 35 yards were passing yards.

Hutchinson earned 286 yards of total offense with Smith accounting for 196 of those yards on 33 carries. Terrell King accounted for the lone 4th quarter score, running it in from four yards out to give the Salthawks a 21-0 lead with 3:33 to go in the contest.

King accounted for 46 yards on 10 carries on the night.

Hutchinson (2-1) will now travel to Salina South (0-3) for a rare Thursday night game and Maize (0-3) will be on the road next Friday in Derby (3-0).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726920207244.png" alt="Final - Hutch High 21 @ Maize High 0" />
 <figcaption>Final - Hutch High 21 @ Maize High 0</figcaption>
 </figure>MAIZE, Kan. - Mother nature was able to slow down the Hutchinson Salthawks on Friday versus Maize, but just a little, as the Salthawks earned back-to-back shutout victories for the first time in 40 years with a 21-0 win over the Eagles.The stingy Hutchinson defense started the domination with the first of two consecutive three and outs in the first quarter allowing the Salthawks' Kade Smith to score on a one yard plunge into the Eagle's end zone after a nine play, 48 yard drive with 5:59 remaining to give Hutch a 7-0 lead.Then it was mother nature's turn to put on a show. The Salthawks had just forced another Eagle punt and had the ball on the Hutchinson 40 yard line when are lightning forced a one hour and 40 minute lightning and rain delay.&nbsp;When play resumed, momentum had swung to the Maize sideline as several Hutchinson drives stalled and the halftime score was 7-0.At the start of the second half, Hutchinson took the kickoff from to their own 42 yard line when Smith bolted up the middle for his longest run of the season to put the Salthawks on top 14-0. That 58 yard yard run capped off at 6 play, 80 yard drive just 2 minutes and 11 seconds into the third quarter.After that, the Salthawk defense took over only allowing Maize 91 yards on 39 offensive plays, of which 35 yards were passing yards.Hutchinson earned 286 yards of total offense with Smith accounting for 196 of those yards on 33 carries. Terrell King accounted for the lone 4th quarter score, running it in from four yards out to give the Salthawks a 21-0 lead with 3:33 to go in the contest.King accounted for 46 yards on 10 carries on the night.Hutchinson (2-1) will now travel to Salina South (0-3) for a rare Thursday night game and Maize (0-3) will be on the road next Friday in Derby (3-0).Derby beat Salina South 59-7 on Friday.

🏈 Hutch High defense, Kade Smith too much for Eagles

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team had its ups and downs on Day 1 of the Blue Dragon Volleyball Classic at the Sports Arena on Friday.

Sophomore Tiana Simmons had a career-high 18 kills in Match No. 1 as Hutchinson defeated the McCook Indians in four sets, 25-10, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20.

The Blue Dragons lost some momentum after sitting through a five-set match before theirs with Iowa Western. Hutchinson lost in four sets to the Reivers, 19-25, 25-21, 13-25, 22-25.

Hutchinson will play Missouri State-West Plains at Noon and Labette at 2 p.m. on Saturday, both matches on Court 1, to close out the Blue Dragon Volleyball Classic.

The Blue Dragons are now 10-8 overall and 8-6 in weekend tournament matchups this season.

Simmons paces the Blue Dragons with 18 kills on .310 hitting against McCook. Simmons added a season-high six total blocks to lead Hutchinson.

Freshman setter Ellie Suber posted her second-straight double-double with 34 assists and 10 digs.

Freshman Atlyn Proctor had 12 kills and three blocks. Sophomore middle blocker McKenzie Murphy had six kills and four blocks, including one solo block. Sophomore middle Precious Johnson added five kills and three blocks.

Freshman libero Addy Foster posted her fourth 20-plus dig performance of the season with a match-high 20 digs. Foster also had a season-high four ace serves.

Freshman defensive specialist Bea Carvalho had 10 digs and three aces.

The victory was head coach Delice Downing’s 96th in her tenure with the Blue Dragons, which moved her into sole possession of fourth place on the Hutchinson career coaching wins list.

After winning the second set to knot their match with Iowa Western at 1-1, the Blue Dragon offense sputtered as the Reivers won the serve-and-pass battle the final two sets.

Proctor led the Blue Dragons with 12 kills against Iowa Western, which is 2-0 against Hutchinson this season.

Johnson finished with seven kills and four total blocks. Simmons had six kills and three blocks.

Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson had 20 assists. Suber had 12 assists and two aces.

Foster posted her second-straight 20-plug dig match of the day and fifth of the season with 20 digs. Freshman defensive specialist Siani Sanchez had 11 digs and Carvalho had 10 digs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726917941638.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy HutchCC Sports Information</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team had its ups and downs on Day 1 of the Blue Dragon Volleyball Classic at the Sports Arena on Friday.Sophomore Tiana Simmons had a career-high 18 kills in Match No. 1 as Hutchinson defeated the McCook Indians in four sets, 25-10, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20.The Blue Dragons lost some momentum after sitting through a five-set match before theirs with Iowa Western. Hutchinson lost in four sets to the Reivers, 19-25, 25-21, 13-25, 22-25.Hutchinson will play Missouri State-West Plains at Noon and Labette at 2 p.m. on Saturday, both matches on Court 1, to close out the Blue Dragon Volleyball Classic.The Blue Dragons are now 10-8 overall and 8-6 in weekend tournament matchups this season.McCOOK MATCHUPSimmons paces the Blue Dragons with 18 kills on .310 hitting against McCook. Simmons added a season-high six total blocks to lead Hutchinson.Freshman setter Ellie Suber posted her second-straight double-double with 34 assists and 10 digs.Freshman Atlyn Proctor had 12 kills and three blocks. Sophomore middle blocker McKenzie Murphy had six kills and four blocks, including one solo block. Sophomore middle Precious Johnson added five kills and three blocks.Freshman libero Addy Foster posted her fourth 20-plus dig performance of the season with a match-high 20 digs. Foster also had a season-high four ace serves.Freshman defensive specialist Bea Carvalho had 10 digs and three aces.The victory was head coach Delice Downing’s 96th in her tenure with the Blue Dragons, which moved her into sole possession of fourth place on the Hutchinson career coaching wins list.IOWA WESTERN MATCHUPAfter winning the second set to knot their match with Iowa Western at 1-1, the Blue Dragon offense sputtered as the Reivers won the serve-and-pass battle the final two sets.Proctor led the Blue Dragons with 12 kills against Iowa Western, which is 2-0 against Hutchinson this season.Johnson finished with seven kills and four total blocks. Simmons had six kills and three blocks.Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson had 20 assists. Suber had 12 assists and two aces.Foster posted her second-straight 20-plug dig match of the day and fifth of the season with 20 digs. Freshman defensive specialist Siani Sanchez had 11 digs and Carvalho had 10 digs.

🏐 Dragons split in day one of classic

AP Sports Summary for September 21st, 2024:

Better than Babe Ruth? Ohtani's feats make the superstar a legend even among MLB peers

If baseball fans are lucky, Shohei Ohtani's greatness in the batter's box and maybe even on the pitching mound could be on display for at least another decade. But in the minds of many, the 30-year-old is already on the shortlist of the sport's all-time legends. The Japanese superstar added to his feats on Thursday, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season. Ohtani is only in his eighth big-league season after playing five years in Japan.

Phillies clinch 3rd straight playoff berth and close in on NL East title

NEW YORK (AP) — Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have clinched their third consecutive playoff appearance by beating the New York Mets 12-2. Assured at least a National League wild card, the Phillies can secure their first NL East title since 2011 with one more win this weekend against the second-place Mets at Citi Field. With the division crown so close, Philadelphia planned a mellow celebration following Friday night's game — hoping to let loose soon with a boozy clubhouse bash after locking up first place. Seeking their third World Series championship, the Phillies overtook Atlanta for the division lead on May 3 and haven't trailed since.

Joel Embiid signs a 3-year, $193 million contract extension with the 76ers

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid has signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers, keeping him with the franchise through the 2028-29 season. The NBA All-Star and the 76ers reached a three-year, $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-2029 season, a person familiar with the deal said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been announced. Embiid broke his own news early Friday morning when he posted a photo on Instagram of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.

A'ja Wilson set records. So did Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. WNBA stats in 2024 were eye-popping

A'ja Wilson had a season like none other in WNBA history. Caitlin Clark set records and made the Indiana Fever the biggest draw in the women's game. Angel Reese rebounded like nobody the league has ever seen. The WNBA regular season is over and the stat sheets were filled like never before. Lots of records like most points, most rebounds, most assists, even most people at a game all fell during the WNBA's 28th regular season.

QB Jordan Love questionable for Packers' game Sunday at Tennessee

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with the Tennessee Titans as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. Love has been practicing on a limited basis each of the last three days after sitting out the Packers' 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Love injured his left medial collateral ligament Sept. 6 during the final series of the Packers' 34-29 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Former Titans quarterback Malik Willis would start if Love is unable to play.

Hotter summers are making high school football a fatal game for some players

BRANDON, Mississippi (AP) — The beginning of high school football season has seen a string of deaths. Players are most at risk in the late summer months of August and September of suffering heat-related illnesses due to searing temperatures and high humidity. Those conditions have worsened in recent decades due to climate change. Fifty-eight players have died from exertional heat stroke between 1992 and 2024, according to the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, and thousands more are sickened each year. This summer has been especially bad, with five high school players dying since July of suspected heat-related illnesses.

Many players who made their MLB debuts in 2020 felt like they were 'missing out'

Nearly half of the 212 players who made their MLB debuts during the pandemic-altered 2020 season are still playing or have been in the big leagues this year. There have been 17 players from that class that became All-Stars, six for the first time this season. But there are also 24 players who after making their debuts never got back to the majors after that season to play a game with fans in the stands. Boston Red Sox All-Star pitcher Tanner Houck feels blessed to have been part of the group that got to continue to play in the big leagues after such a weird year.

A trio of NASCAR stars in danger of playoff elimination at Bristol cutoff race

The first elimination race of NASCAR's playoffs has a three-time Daytona 500 winner and a pair of former Cup Series champions in danger of being bumped from title contention at Bristol Motor Speedway. The trio also happen to be among NASCAR's biggest stars in a 16-driver playoff field in which popular drivers Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace were among those who failed to qualify. This year's field is fairly watered down, and yet Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Harrison Burton are all below the cutline headed into the first elimination race of the playoffs. The bottom four drivers at the end of Saturday night's race will be eliminated.

Journeyman ties 36-hole record at Wentworth to lead by two; McIlroy four shots back

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Matthew Baldwin is setting an unexpectedly hot pace at the BMW PGA Championship after shooting 6-under 66 to establish a two-stroke lead after the second round. Baldwin is an English journeyman ranked No. 363. He built on his overnight one-shot lead after a first-round 65 by making seven birdies to go along with a dropped shot at No. 11 for his only bogey so far this week. Baldwin has been through the tour's qualifying school six times and was ranked just inside the top 850 two years ago. Now he is on 13 under overall to tie the event's 36-hole record and is leading one of the European tour's top fields that includes Rory McIlroy. McIlroy shot 68 and was four off the lead.

Laver Cup is 2-2 after Fritz and Shelton win doubles from Alcaraz and Zverev

BERLIN (AP) — American pair Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton have edged Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev in doubles to tie the Laver Cup after the first day in Berlin. Alcaraz and Zverev, who faced each other in the French Open final three months ago, had a point for 5-4 in the second set but lost it and the game. Fritz and Shelton served out to win 7-6 (5), 6-4. That left Team Europe and Team World at 2-2 with two more days to go in a format reminiscent of golf's Ryder Cup. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov won their singles for Team Europe while Casper Ruud lost his to Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina. The tournament ends on Sunday.

		San Francisco	at	Kansas City	5:10 p.m.	

		(6)Tennessee	at	(15)Oklahoma	7:30 p.m.	

		(11)Southern Cal	at	(18)Michigan	3:30 p.m.	

		Georgia Tech	at	(19)Louisville	3:30 p.m.	

		Miami (Ohio)	at	(17)Notre Dame	3:30 p.m.	

		Bowling Green	at	(25)Texas A&amp;M	7:30 p.m.	

		Georgia Southern	at	(5)Mississippi	7:45 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, September 21st, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, September 21st, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for September 21st, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8574636/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Better than Babe Ruth? Ohtani's feats make the superstar a legend even among MLB peersIf baseball fans are lucky, Shohei Ohtani's greatness in the batter's box and maybe even on the pitching mound could be on display for at least another decade. But in the minds of many, the 30-year-old is already on the shortlist of the sport's all-time legends. The Japanese superstar added to his feats on Thursday, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season. Ohtani is only in his eighth big-league season after playing five years in Japan.Phillies clinch 3rd straight playoff berth and close in on NL East titleNEW YORK (AP) — Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have clinched their third consecutive playoff appearance by beating the New York Mets 12-2. Assured at least a National League wild card, the Phillies can secure their first NL East title since 2011 with one more win this weekend against the second-place Mets at Citi Field. With the division crown so close, Philadelphia planned a mellow celebration following Friday night's game — hoping to let loose soon with a boozy clubhouse bash after locking up first place. Seeking their third World Series championship, the Phillies overtook Atlanta for the division lead on May 3 and haven't trailed since.Joel Embiid signs a 3-year, $193 million contract extension with the 76ersPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid has signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers, keeping him with the franchise through the 2028-29 season. The NBA All-Star and the 76ers reached a three-year, $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-2029 season, a person familiar with the deal said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been announced. Embiid broke his own news early Friday morning when he posted a photo on Instagram of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.A'ja Wilson set records. So did Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. WNBA stats in 2024 were eye-poppingA'ja Wilson had a season like none other in WNBA history. Caitlin Clark set records and made the Indiana Fever the biggest draw in the women's game. Angel Reese rebounded like nobody the league has ever seen. The WNBA regular season is over and the stat sheets were filled like never before. Lots of records like most points, most rebounds, most assists, even most people at a game all fell during the WNBA's 28th regular season.QB Jordan Love questionable for Packers' game Sunday at TennesseeGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with the Tennessee Titans as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. Love has been practicing on a limited basis each of the last three days after sitting out the Packers' 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Love injured his left medial collateral ligament Sept. 6 during the final series of the Packers' 34-29 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Former Titans quarterback Malik Willis would start if Love is unable to play.Hotter summers are making high school football a fatal game for some playersBRANDON, Mississippi (AP) — The beginning of high school football season has seen a string of deaths. Players are most at risk in the late summer months of August and September of suffering heat-related illnesses due to searing temperatures and high humidity. Those conditions have worsened in recent decades due to climate change. Fifty-eight players have died from exertional heat stroke between 1992 and 2024, according to the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, and thousands more are sickened each year. This summer has been especially bad, with five high school players dying since July of suspected heat-related illnesses.Many players who made their MLB debuts in 2020 felt like they were 'missing out'Nearly half of the 212 players who made their MLB debuts during the pandemic-altered 2020 season are still playing or have been in the big leagues this year. There have been 17 players from that class that became All-Stars, six for the first time this season. But there are also 24 players who after making their debuts never got back to the majors after that season to play a game with fans in the stands. Boston Red Sox All-Star pitcher Tanner Houck feels blessed to have been part of the group that got to continue to play in the big leagues after such a weird year.A trio of NASCAR stars in danger of playoff elimination at Bristol cutoff raceThe first elimination race of NASCAR's playoffs has a three-time Daytona 500 winner and a pair of former Cup Series champions in danger of being bumped from title contention at Bristol Motor Speedway. The trio also happen to be among NASCAR's biggest stars in a 16-driver playoff field in which popular drivers Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace were among those who failed to qualify. This year's field is fairly watered down, and yet Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Harrison Burton are all below the cutline headed into the first elimination race of the playoffs. The bottom four drivers at the end of Saturday night's race will be eliminated.Journeyman ties 36-hole record at Wentworth to lead by two; McIlroy four shots backVIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Matthew Baldwin is setting an unexpectedly hot pace at the BMW PGA Championship after shooting 6-under 66 to establish a two-stroke lead after the second round. Baldwin is an English journeyman ranked No. 363. He built on his overnight one-shot lead after a first-round 65 by making seven birdies to go along with a dropped shot at No. 11 for his only bogey so far this week. Baldwin has been through the tour's qualifying school six times and was ranked just inside the top 850 two years ago. Now he is on 13 under overall to tie the event's 36-hole record and is leading one of the European tour's top fields that includes Rory McIlroy. McIlroy shot 68 and was four off the lead.Laver Cup is 2-2 after Fritz and Shelton win doubles from Alcaraz and ZverevBERLIN (AP) — American pair Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton have edged Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev in doubles to tie the Laver Cup after the first day in Berlin. Alcaraz and Zverev, who faced each other in the French Open final three months ago, had a point for 5-4 in the second set but lost it and the game. Fritz and Shelton served out to win 7-6 (5), 6-4. That left Team Europe and Team World at 2-2 with two more days to go in a format reminiscent of golf's Ryder Cup. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov won their singles for Team Europe while Casper Ruud lost his to Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina. The tournament ends on Sunday.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Cleveland	5	St. Louis	1	Final	San Francisco	2	Kansas City	1	Final	San Diego	3	Chicago White Sox	2	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Tampa Bay	1	Toronto	0	Final	Baltimore	7	Detroit	1	Final	Seattle	8	Texas	2	Final	Houston	9	L.A. Angels	7	Final	Minnesota	4	Boston	2	Final	N.Y. Yankees	4	Oakland	2	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago Cubs	3	Washington	1	Final	Cincinnati	8	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Miami	4	Atlanta	3	Final	Philadelphia	12	N.Y. Mets	2	Final	Arizona	7	Milwaukee	4	Final	L.A. Dodgers	6	Colorado	4	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(24)Illinois	31	(22)Nebraska	24	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		San Francisco	at	Kansas City	5:10 p.m.			Cleveland	at	St. Louis	7:15 p.m.			Chi White Sox	at	San Diego	8:40 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Detroit	at	Baltimore	4:05 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Boston	4:10 p.m.			Toronto	at	Tampa Bay	4:10 p.m.			Seattle	at	Texas	7:05 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	Houston	7:10 p.m.			N-Y Yankees	at	Oakland	9:07 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Pittsburgh	at	Cincinnati	1:10 p.m.			Washington	at	Chi Cubs	2:20 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Miami	4:10 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	N-Y Mets	4:10 p.m.			Arizona	at	Milwaukee	7:10 p.m.			Colorado	at	L-A Dodgers	9:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON		Pittsburgh	at	Buffalo	7 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Dallas	7 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Winnipeg	8 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		(12)Utah	at	(14)Oklahoma St.	4 p.m.			(6)Tennessee	at	(15)Oklahoma	7:30 p.m.			(11)Southern Cal	at	(18)Michigan	3:30 p.m.			NC State	at	(21)Clemson	12 p.m.			Marshall	at	(3)Ohio St.	12 p.m.			Arkansas St.	at	(20)Iowa St.	2 p.m.			Kent St.	at	(10)Penn St.	3:30 p.m.			UCLA	at	(16)LSU	3:30 p.m.			Georgia Tech	at	(19)Louisville	3:30 p.m.			Buffalo	at	(23)N. Illinois	3:30 p.m.			Miami (Ohio)	at	(17)Notre Dame	3:30 p.m.			Vanderbilt	at	(7)Missouri	4:15 p.m.			(8)Miami	at	South Florida	7 p.m.			Bowling Green	at	(25)Texas A&amp;M	7:30 p.m.			Georgia Southern	at	(5)Mississippi	7:45 p.m.			Louisiana-Monroe	at	(1)Texas	8 p.m.			(13)Kansas St.	at	BYU	10:30 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		Miami	at	New York City FC	2 p.m.			New England	at	Charlotte FC	4 p.m.			Orlando City	at	Columbus	7:30 p.m.			Chicago	at	CF Montréal	7:30 p.m.			Atlanta	at	New York	7:30 p.m.			Houston	at	Austin FC	8:30 p.m.			Los Angeles FC	at	FC Dallas	8:30 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Sporting Kansas City	8:30 p.m.			Cincinnati	at	Nashville	8:30 p.m.			Toronto FC	at	Colorado	9:30 p.m.			Portland	at	Real Salt Lake	9:30 p.m.			Vancouver	at	LA Galaxy	10:30 p.m.			St Louis City	at	San Jose	10:30 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Saturday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals' late-season losing streak stretched to five on Friday night with a 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, who got three hits from Heliot Ramos.

Kansas City dropped four games behind Baltimore for the first AL wild card spot and saw its lead cut to one game over Minnesota for the second of the three wild cards.

“You've got to make your own breaks,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We had every opportunity to hit a ball in the gap or a line drive through the middle. We've got to keep putting ourselves in the opportunities to get guys on base and force the action. Hopefully we break through.”

Mason Black (1-4) pitched shutout ball over a career-high 5 2/3 innings for already eliminated San Francisco, limiting the Royals to four hits.

“He pitched great,” San Francisco manager Bob Melvin said. “He seems like the last few times he's been a little bit more comfortable and confident with what he's doing out there.”

Camilo Doval allowed Garrett Hampson's sacrifice fly before striking out Tommy Pham with runners on second and third to get his 23rd save in 28 chances.

"That was a little stressful, but he got out of it," Melvin said.

Hampson came close to a bases-clearing double down the left-field line that would have won the game with one out in the ninth, but the ball was ruled foul. Quatraro asked to challenge the ruling but was denied.

“I was surprised it was called foul,” Quatraro said. “I didn't have a great angle from where I was sitting, but they called it foul and it's not reviewable.”

Quatraro felt like the ball was behind third-base umpire John Bacon, but he was told that the replay umpire in New York said it wasn't.

“I've argued that one a million times,” Melvin said. “You can't review it unless it's behind him.”

Kansas City went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners, including three runners in scoring position in the first two innings.

“You want to score every time you get those opportunities,” Quatraro said. "It just didn't go our way.”

“We hit the ball hard but didn't have anything to show for it,” Adam Frazier said. “We just need a timely hit or two. The pitchers kept us in the game.”

Michael Wacha (13-8) gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 9-2 in 15 starts since June 22.

“I feel like they made me work, especially in the first,” Wacha said. “I feel like I was able to settle in there, but the sixth was frustrating."

Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a bloop single, advanced to second on a walk and to third on a flyout, then scored on Ramos' infield hit.

Ramos hit a two-out double to the wall in right-center in the sixth and scored on Patrick Bailey's single for a 2-0 lead.

Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Tuesday with right-shoulder inflammation and right-hander Austin Warren was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

In a game moved up to 4:10 p.m. CDT because of a forecast of bad weather, San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.02 ERA) is to start Saturday against Kansas CIty RHP Brady Singer (9-11, 3.53 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726896341701.jpeg" alt="San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos watches his RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos watches his RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals' late-season losing streak stretched to five on Friday night with a 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, who got three hits from Heliot Ramos.Kansas City dropped four games behind Baltimore for the first AL wild card spot and saw its lead cut to one game over Minnesota for the second of the three wild cards.“You've got to make your own breaks,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We had every opportunity to hit a ball in the gap or a line drive through the middle. We've got to keep putting ourselves in the opportunities to get guys on base and force the action. Hopefully we break through.”Mason Black (1-4) pitched shutout ball over a career-high 5 2/3 innings for already eliminated San Francisco, limiting the Royals to four hits.“He pitched great,” San Francisco manager Bob Melvin said. “He seems like the last few times he's been a little bit more comfortable and confident with what he's doing out there.”Camilo Doval allowed Garrett Hampson's sacrifice fly before striking out Tommy Pham with runners on second and third to get his 23rd save in 28 chances."That was a little stressful, but he got out of it," Melvin said.Hampson came close to a bases-clearing double down the left-field line that would have won the game with one out in the ninth, but the ball was ruled foul. Quatraro asked to challenge the ruling but was denied.“I was surprised it was called foul,” Quatraro said. “I didn't have a great angle from where I was sitting, but they called it foul and it's not reviewable.”Quatraro felt like the ball was behind third-base umpire John Bacon, but he was told that the replay umpire in New York said it wasn't.“I've argued that one a million times,” Melvin said. “You can't review it unless it's behind him.”Kansas City went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners, including three runners in scoring position in the first two innings.“You want to score every time you get those opportunities,” Quatraro said. "It just didn't go our way.”“We hit the ball hard but didn't have anything to show for it,” Adam Frazier said. “We just need a timely hit or two. The pitchers kept us in the game.”Michael Wacha (13-8) gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 9-2 in 15 starts since June 22.“I feel like they made me work, especially in the first,” Wacha said. “I feel like I was able to settle in there, but the sixth was frustrating."Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a bloop single, advanced to second on a walk and to third on a flyout, then scored on Ramos' infield hit.Ramos hit a two-out double to the wall in right-center in the sixth and scored on Patrick Bailey's single for a 2-0 lead.Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Tuesday with right-shoulder inflammation and right-hander Austin Warren was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.UP NEXTIn a game moved up to 4:10 p.m. CDT because of a forecast of bad weather, San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.02 ERA) is to start Saturday against Kansas CIty RHP Brady Singer (9-11, 3.53 ERA).

⚾ Royals lose fifth straight Friday

Week 3 Hutch High 21, Maize 0 Central
Christian 48, Stafford 0 Trinity Catholic 28, Remington 8 Great Bend 43,&nbsp;Buhler 26 Haven 42, Smoky Valley 16 Reno County Homeschool 64, Fairfield 32 Sterling 21, Inman 20 Little River
32, Centre 0 Lyons 21, Republic County 20 Halstead 38,&nbsp;Nickerson 0 Chanute 27, McPherson 14 Pratt-Skyline 22, Pretty Prairie 12 Hesston 27, Hillsboro 12 Pratt 70, Larned 0 Newton vs. Eisenhower

You can find all of the Hutch Post area football schedules for the entire season <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/8e247860-8dc7-4f3a-86de-3a909aec11d2">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719520482079.png" alt="EAGLE Media High School Football Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>EAGLE Media High School Football Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>Week 3 Hutch High 21, Maize 0 Central
Christian 48, Stafford 0 Trinity Catholic 28, Remington 8 Great Bend 43,&nbsp;Buhler 26 Haven 42, Smoky Valley 16 Reno County Homeschool 64, Fairfield 32 Sterling 21, Inman 20 Little River
32, Centre 0 Lyons 21, Republic County 20 Halstead 38,&nbsp;Nickerson 0 Chanute 27, McPherson 14 Pratt-Skyline 22, Pretty Prairie 12 Hesston 27, Hillsboro 12 Pratt 70, Larned 0 Newton vs. EisenhowerYou can find all of the Hutch Post area football schedules for the entire season <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/8e247860-8dc7-4f3a-86de-3a909aec11d2">here</a>.

🏈 EAGLE Media scoreboard from Sept. 20

MAIZE, Kan. — The Hutchinson Salthawks football team travels to Maize for its first road game of the season with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.&nbsp;at the Maize High School Stadium.

Catch the Salthawk Football Pregame Show sponsored by The Medicine Shoppe at 6:30 p.m. on <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>.

The award winning EAGLE Media sportscast crew consisting of Glen Grunwald with the play-by-play and color analysts Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato. Hutch High senior Matt Peterson will provide the NFHS video stream on the Hutch High&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/">NFHS Video Stream</a>&nbsp;Channel.

Game audio is available at kwbwradio.com of click <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">HERE</a>. Download the KWBW Radio app and take the game with you on the road.

The NFHS Network Hutch High Channel is a pay-per-view broadcast this season. Choose either an annual pass or pay month-to-month.

The live broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726747644461.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MAIZE, Kan. — The Hutchinson Salthawks football team travels to Maize for its first road game of the season with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.&nbsp;at the Maize High School Stadium.Catch the Salthawk Football Pregame Show sponsored by The Medicine Shoppe at 6:30 p.m. on <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>.The award winning EAGLE Media sportscast crew consisting of Glen Grunwald with the play-by-play and color analysts Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato. Hutch High senior Matt Peterson will provide the NFHS video stream on the Hutch High&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/">NFHS Video Stream</a>&nbsp;Channel.Game audio is available at kwbwradio.com of click <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">HERE</a>. Download the KWBW Radio app and take the game with you on the road.The NFHS Network Hutch High Channel is a pay-per-view broadcast this season. Choose either an annual pass or pay month-to-month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726224332945.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The live broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m.<div><iframe src="https://player.nfhsnetwork.com/#/events/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks/gamae988f53e6" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" width="640" height="360"></iframe>

</div>

🏈🎥🎧 Hutch High takes first road trip to Maize 

Week 3 of the high school football season is upon us in the Sunflower State. See below for the schedule involving area teams.

Week 3 Hutch High at Maize Central
Christian vs. Stafford Trinity
Catholic vs. Remington Buhler at Great Bend Haven vs. Smoky Valley Fairfield vs. Reno County Homeschool Inman vs. Sterling Little River
at Centre Lyons vs. Republic County Nickerson vs. Halstead McPherson at Chanute Pretty
Prairie at Pratt-Skyline Hesston vs. Hillsboro Burrton vs. South Barber Pratt vs. Larned Newton vs. Eisenhower

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719520482079.png" alt="EAGLE Media High School Football Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>EAGLE Media High School Football Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>Week 3 of the high school football season is upon us in the Sunflower State. See below for the schedule involving area teams.Week 3 Hutch High at Maize Central
Christian vs. Stafford Trinity
Catholic vs. Remington Buhler at Great Bend Haven vs. Smoky Valley Fairfield vs. Reno County Homeschool Inman vs. Sterling Little River
at Centre Lyons vs. Republic County Nickerson vs. Halstead McPherson at Chanute Pretty
Prairie at Pratt-Skyline Hesston vs. Hillsboro Burrton vs. South Barber Pratt vs. Larned Newton vs. EisenhowerYou can find all of the Hutch Post area football schedules for the entire season <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/8e247860-8dc7-4f3a-86de-3a909aec11d2">here</a>.

🏈 Week 3 area high school schedule

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Already an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-mvp-joel-embiid-76ers-jokic-giannis-a216b687de694125309fb9eed1ad5031">NBA MVP</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-joel-embiid-basketball-4e75e0b08e44ac20310e1e78a47c1114">Olympic gold medalist</a>, All-Star center Joel Embiid now has until the end of the decade to try to win his first NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers.

With another maximum contract secured, Embiid wants to chase that title in Philly — and remain a Sixer for the rest of his career.

“Philadelphia is home,” Embiid wrote on Instagram.

A seven-time NBA All-Star, Embiid and the 76ers agreed to a $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-29 season, a person familiar with the deal said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been announced.

The 30-year-old Embiid, who graduated from a Florida high school and played a season in college at Kansas, broke his own news early Friday morning when he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/joelembiid/p/DAI11U4RBuD/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" target="_blank">posted a photo on Instagram</a>&nbsp;of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.

Embiid, who dropped a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/76ers-spurs-score-embiid-70-points-84f40e580cbc723134628035f3893fab">franchise-record 70 points</a>&nbsp;last season against San Antonio, signed off with the familiar 76ers hashtag, “#trusttheprocess.”

Embiid — still in the second year of a $196 million extension he signed ahead of the 2021 season — became the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-maxey-george-045816251ab36c6ac2d8fefc9f8b7cee">third cornerstone</a>&nbsp;player this offseason to sign a massive contract with the 76ers. The team hasn’t won an NBA title since 1983.

The 76ers enticed Paul George to leave the Los Angeles Clippers and sign a four-year, $212 million contract. The NBA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-most-improved-player-maxey-054d77eac9c2a3759ff092560d3bb81c">Most Improved Player</a>&nbsp;last season, Tyrese Maxey, was rewarded with a five-year, $204 million extension. The 76ers committed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/76ers-nba-paul-george-free-agency-e2f1aaa1f92a6676a80eddcc74bc17de">more than $400 million in salary</a>&nbsp;to two players they believe position them as the top contender to dethrone the NBA champion Boston Celtics.

George and Maxey both congratulated Embiid on the extension on Instagram.

Throw in Embiid’s deal and the Sixers are counting on a Big Three that can contend for the life of their contracts. Embiid, though, has a history of injuries and has yet to lead to the franchise out of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Embiid has never played more than 68 games in a season and averaged 34.7 points in just 39 games last season.

Originally selected by the 76ers with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, Embiid was named NBA MVP in the 2022-23 season and he won a gold medal with Team USA at this year’s Paris Olympics.

He has five All-NBA Team honors, seven consecutive All-Star selections from 2017-24, three All-Defensive Team nods, and twice has been the NBA scoring champion.

“Joel has cemented himself as one of the greatest Sixers of all time and is well on his way to being one of the best players to ever play the game. We’re ecstatic that this extension keeps him and his family in Philadelphia for years to come,” Harris said. “Joel is a great family man, leader, and person. He is an elite two-way player with a combination of size, strength, and athleticism that this league has rarely – if ever – seen. He is integral to this franchise’s quest for another NBA Championship, and we are honored that he continues to choose this organization as his NBA home.”

In 433 games (all starts) with the franchise, Embiid has averaged 27.9 points on 50.4% shooting, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 blocked shots across 31.9 minutes per contest. He ranks first in franchise history in scoring average (27.9 points per game), fifth in blocked shots (720), tied for sixth in triple-doubles (seven), and seventh in total points scored (12,071). Embiid also ranks third on the franchise list with eight 50-point games.

“I had no idea when I was drafted as a 20-year-old kid from Cameroon how lucky I was to be in Philadelphia,” Embiid said in a team statement. “Through all the ups and downs, this city and the fans have been everything, and I am so grateful for how they’ve embraced me.”

A youth soccer player, Embiid didn’t pick up a basketball until he was a teenager in Africa, when a friend informed him that very few 7-footers succeed in soccer.

A few months later, Embiid was lured to a basketball camp in the capital of Yaounde run by NBA veteran Luc Mbah a Moute, one of just two players from Cameroon to have played in the NBA. Mbah a Moute persuaded Embiid’s parents to let him move 6,000 miles to Florida, and helped enroll him at Montverde Academy, one of the best high school programs in the country. He played just 28 games in his lone season at Kansas before leaving for the NBA.

Embiid missed his first two full seasons with injuries before settling in as one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1836083946867597713" target="_blank">top big men</a>&nbsp;— and richest players — of his generation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726854149732.png" alt="FILE - Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid waves to Chicago Bulls fans after hitting a 3-point shot late in the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Bulls of Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid waves to Chicago Bulls fans after hitting a 3-point shot late in the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Bulls of Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Already an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-mvp-joel-embiid-76ers-jokic-giannis-a216b687de694125309fb9eed1ad5031">NBA MVP</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-joel-embiid-basketball-4e75e0b08e44ac20310e1e78a47c1114">Olympic gold medalist</a>, All-Star center Joel Embiid now has until the end of the decade to try to win his first NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers.With another maximum contract secured, Embiid wants to chase that title in Philly — and remain a Sixer for the rest of his career.“Philadelphia is home,” Embiid wrote on Instagram.A seven-time NBA All-Star, Embiid and the 76ers agreed to a $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-29 season, a person familiar with the deal said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been announced.The 30-year-old Embiid, who graduated from a Florida high school and played a season in college at Kansas, broke his own news early Friday morning when he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/joelembiid/p/DAI11U4RBuD/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" target="_blank">posted a photo on Instagram</a>&nbsp;of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.Embiid, who dropped a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/76ers-spurs-score-embiid-70-points-84f40e580cbc723134628035f3893fab">franchise-record 70 points</a>&nbsp;last season against San Antonio, signed off with the familiar 76ers hashtag, “#trusttheprocess.”Embiid — still in the second year of a $196 million extension he signed ahead of the 2021 season — became the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-maxey-george-045816251ab36c6ac2d8fefc9f8b7cee">third cornerstone</a>&nbsp;player this offseason to sign a massive contract with the 76ers. The team hasn’t won an NBA title since 1983.The 76ers enticed Paul George to leave the Los Angeles Clippers and sign a four-year, $212 million contract. The NBA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-most-improved-player-maxey-054d77eac9c2a3759ff092560d3bb81c">Most Improved Player</a>&nbsp;last season, Tyrese Maxey, was rewarded with a five-year, $204 million extension. The 76ers committed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/76ers-nba-paul-george-free-agency-e2f1aaa1f92a6676a80eddcc74bc17de">more than $400 million in salary</a>&nbsp;to two players they believe position them as the top contender to dethrone the NBA champion Boston Celtics.George and Maxey both congratulated Embiid on the extension on Instagram.Throw in Embiid’s deal and the Sixers are counting on a Big Three that can contend for the life of their contracts. Embiid, though, has a history of injuries and has yet to lead to the franchise out of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Embiid has never played more than 68 games in a season and averaged 34.7 points in just 39 games last season.Originally selected by the 76ers with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, Embiid was named NBA MVP in the 2022-23 season and he won a gold medal with Team USA at this year’s Paris Olympics.He has five All-NBA Team honors, seven consecutive All-Star selections from 2017-24, three All-Defensive Team nods, and twice has been the NBA scoring champion.“Joel has cemented himself as one of the greatest Sixers of all time and is well on his way to being one of the best players to ever play the game. We’re ecstatic that this extension keeps him and his family in Philadelphia for years to come,” Harris said. “Joel is a great family man, leader, and person. He is an elite two-way player with a combination of size, strength, and athleticism that this league has rarely – if ever – seen. He is integral to this franchise’s quest for another NBA Championship, and we are honored that he continues to choose this organization as his NBA home.”In 433 games (all starts) with the franchise, Embiid has averaged 27.9 points on 50.4% shooting, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 blocked shots across 31.9 minutes per contest. He ranks first in franchise history in scoring average (27.9 points per game), fifth in blocked shots (720), tied for sixth in triple-doubles (seven), and seventh in total points scored (12,071). Embiid also ranks third on the franchise list with eight 50-point games.“I had no idea when I was drafted as a 20-year-old kid from Cameroon how lucky I was to be in Philadelphia,” Embiid said in a team statement. “Through all the ups and downs, this city and the fans have been everything, and I am so grateful for how they’ve embraced me.”A youth soccer player, Embiid didn’t pick up a basketball until he was a teenager in Africa, when a friend informed him that very few 7-footers succeed in soccer.A few months later, Embiid was lured to a basketball camp in the capital of Yaounde run by NBA veteran Luc Mbah a Moute, one of just two players from Cameroon to have played in the NBA. Mbah a Moute persuaded Embiid’s parents to let him move 6,000 miles to Florida, and helped enroll him at Montverde Academy, one of the best high school programs in the country. He played just 28 games in his lone season at Kansas before leaving for the NBA.Embiid missed his first two full seasons with injuries before settling in as one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1836083946867597713" target="_blank">top big men</a>&nbsp;— and richest players — of his generation.

🏀 Former Jayhawk Embiid signs massive extension with 76ers

LANGDON, Kan. — Kyle Finder took over the Fairfield High School football program prior to the 2023 season with a bare cupboard. The Falcons had went 0-9 in 2022, and were&nbsp; 6-75 since the 2015 season.

"The kids were tired of losing, and the community was tired of losing," Finder said. "You saw the immediate buy-in. I showed up the first day and the weight room was packed. Just the commitment level the kids have put in has been outstanding."

Finder and the Falcons finished 1-8 in 2023, with it's only win coming in its final game of the season over Hartford, 56-46. The win ended a 17-game losing streak for the Falcons.

"That win summed up our entire season," Fairfield head coach Kyle Finder said. "It was a hard fought game, and our guys really didn't know how to celebrate. We had to take some time to almost teach them how to celebrate with what was going on. The smiles on their face meant everything and it was a great way to end the season."

Fairfield is off to a 2-0 start this year with wins over Hartford (54-26) and Pratt-Skyline (30-12). The two wins were very different from each other, as Hartford was more of an air-raid offense, while Skyline wanted to ground and pound.

"We feel comfortable just going up against different styles," Finder said. "We feel we have a good game plan going into each week, it's just going to come down to the players playing and the coaches coaching, and hopefully we can get things to roll our way."

The Falcons will host Reno County Homeschool tonight at 7 p.m. in Langdon. The Sabres have put up 118 points through the first two weeks in wins over Stafford and Norwich.

"They are very athletic and don't make many mistakes," Finder said. "They are very well coached with coach Smith over there. He was actually my high school coach for two years of high school. He has done a real nice job with that program. They've got a quarterback that can throw the ball on a rope, so it's going to be a real test for us trying to slow down their passing attack, but also their rushing attack as well."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726800435130.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy USD 310 Fairfield on Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy USD 310 Fairfield on Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>SEAN BOSTON Hutch PostLANGDON, Kan. — Kyle Finder took over the Fairfield High School football program prior to the 2023 season with a bare cupboard. The Falcons had went 0-9 in 2022, and were&nbsp; 6-75 since the 2015 season."The kids were tired of losing, and the community was tired of losing," Finder said. "You saw the immediate buy-in. I showed up the first day and the weight room was packed. Just the commitment level the kids have put in has been outstanding."Finder and the Falcons finished 1-8 in 2023, with it's only win coming in its final game of the season over Hartford, 56-46. The win ended a 17-game losing streak for the Falcons."That win summed up our entire season," Fairfield head coach Kyle Finder said. "It was a hard fought game, and our guys really didn't know how to celebrate. We had to take some time to almost teach them how to celebrate with what was going on. The smiles on their face meant everything and it was a great way to end the season."Fairfield is off to a 2-0 start this year with wins over Hartford (54-26) and Pratt-Skyline (30-12). The two wins were very different from each other, as Hartford was more of an air-raid offense, while Skyline wanted to ground and pound."We feel comfortable just going up against different styles," Finder said. "We feel we have a good game plan going into each week, it's just going to come down to the players playing and the coaches coaching, and hopefully we can get things to roll our way."The Falcons will host Reno County Homeschool tonight at 7 p.m. in Langdon. The Sabres have put up 118 points through the first two weeks in wins over Stafford and Norwich."They are very athletic and don't make many mistakes," Finder said. "They are very well coached with coach Smith over there. He was actually my high school coach for two years of high school. He has done a real nice job with that program. They've got a quarterback that can throw the ball on a rope, so it's going to be a real test for us trying to slow down their passing attack, but also their rushing attack as well."The last winning season for Fairfield High School football came in 2014, a 5-4 finish.&nbsp;"It's been a long time and these guys know it and the community knows it," Finder said. "I think it's been since 1995 that we have made the playoffs, so we're just going to take it one game at a time, but feel like we can get there this year."Over the past nine seasons, the Falcons have been outscored 4,188-1,038. During that stretch, Fairfield is averaging 12.8 points, while allowing 51.7 points.Finder can sense the buy-in and support not only in the school, but also the community after the strong start."I feel like we've got a lot of buy-in from the community and the kids," Finder said. "They talk about it being fun to go to practice now, it used to be that they'd go to practice dreading some things. Even last year when we were trying to build the thing, they would go to practice knowing that we're going to get beat on Friday night. That hasn't been the case this year. It's one of those things where guys are looking forward to it, and people are stepping up to help and the community has bought in. It's been a real nice change of pace. There is just a different feel in the hallway this year."The process of getting the players bought in hasn't been easy for Finder and his staff, especially with most players having to balance summer workouts with working on the farm."One of our captains, Chase Combs is getting the feed ready the night before just so he can feed animals before 6 a.m. weights," Finder said. "After he'd get done with that he'd go to basketball practice and then go home to work. There are just a lot of guys that make those sacrifices just so they can be a part of this. Another thing is our school doesn't sit in a community, so everybody has to drive a ways to get to weights, so there is also a financial sacrifice they have to make as far as it goes for gas money and it can just be a challenge, but our guys have been up to the challenge."Fairfield is led by its rushing attack, which has produced 629 yards through the first two weeks, nearly eight yards per carry. The ground game is led by senior quarterback Connor Fowler, who Finder wanted to increase his production, but decrease his workload this year."It has been a real joy to watch," Finder said. "He's been over 100 yards rushing in both games on 14-18 carries a game. A lot of that has been thanks to guys like Brodie Snodgrass stepping up, Gage Brown, William McIver, Jalen Busick, a freshman for us, those guys have stepped up for us and have been able to take some carries here and there."Finder says Snodgrass is off to a strong start with over 100 yards rushing in the first two games, as well."We knew Brodie has the athleticism, we just wanted to find the right place for him to be successful," Finder said. "He's scary fast in the open field and is not afraid to run through a guy as well, even though he's one of our smaller backs. He played the second half of the Hartford game on a swollen/sprained ankle and goes for 193 yards and four touchdowns."The 300-plus yards rushing per game through the first two weeks is due to a lot of big blocks put on by the offensive line."We have a very young offensive line, but we have a very experienced offensive line," Finder said. "Most of them were freshmen, sophomores or juniors last year, and even though we have this experience from last season, we still only have one senior on that offensive line this year. These young guys have really taken off, guys like Gavin Foster just playing aggressive all the time, Garrett Lanning, Chase Combs, two guys that we just love being mean up front. Lukas and Layne Schwab have really set the tone for our tight ends and do a really nice job with that. Steven Nisly has been an addition this year that has really helped out, and Dominic Sader is another guy that when he's called upon does a really nice job for us up front."As Finder continues to try and turn the Falcons' program in the right direction, he looks back at the path that has led the former Kingman County kid back to this area after coaching in far northwest Kansas."Going out west was a real blessing, because I was able to get into coaching," Finder said. "I had never really seen an eight-man game, and then we dropped to six-man, which I had never even heard of before. I learned a ton out there, but it got to be kind of old traveling six hours to see my wives family in Kansas City and four hours to see my folks. We just had our first child last summer, so just getting closer to family has been a real blessing. We loved Tribune and the people out there, but it was time to get back closer to home. I was lucky enough Fairfield took a chance on a first-year principal."&nbsp;Finder appeared on this week's Reno County Coaches Show on KWBW Radio. <a href="https://thehutchpostpodcast.podbean.com/e/reno-county-coaches-show-sept-19-2024/">Click here</a> to listen to the episode. Finder appears with EAGLE Media Sports Director Sean Boston at the 12:30 mark in the episode.